Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



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F 6, Z l n Z, 9 1 0.. j o .w N f Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ica JOHN F. OCONNOR, 0F, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. I-I. MINER, INC., 0F v CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. i

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECI-IANISM.

Application filed March 11, 1925, Serial No. 14 591. Renewed April 23, 1928.

friction elements cooperating with the post,

a wedge casing, the casing and spring cage being arranged to telescope to houie and protect the parts of the mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the inven- 5 tion will more fully and clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, horizontal, sectional view of a portion of a. railway draft rigging, showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view correspond ing substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 3 3 of Figure 1. And Figure 11 is a de tailed, perspective view of a friction wedge shoe used in connection with my improved mechanism.

In said drawings, 10-10 indicate channelshaped center or draft sills to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11-11 and rear stop lugs 12-12 The inner end portion of the drawbar is indicated by 13, to which is operatively connected a hooded yoke 14 of well-known form. The shock absorbing mechanism proper is disposed within the hooded yoke,-the latter and the parts therewithin being operatively supported by a detachable saddle plate 15.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises, broadly, a heavy spring cage or casing A; a front follower casing B; twin arranged, main springs C--C;v

spring followers D-D a centra-l friction post or stem E; a pair of friction shoes F-F; and

Y a pair of retainer bolts Gre-G.

The spring cage A is in the form of a heavy `ycasting having top and bottom walls 16e-1,6,

a transverse end wall 17 and relatively short walls 16 extend forwardly beyond theside l walls of the cage, and are. cut away at the top and bottom, as indicated at 19, thereby pro`- viding transverse stop shoulders 2O alined with the outer ends ofthe side walls.

The post E is located centrally of the cage A, being in the form of a vertical partition wall dividing the cage into two spring com- 'partments The post is coeXtensive with the top and bottom walls of the casing and has a pair of opposed V-shaped friction surfaces21 formed at the outer or forward end thereof.

VThe friction surfaces 21 of the post preferably diverge slightly outwardly of the mechanism. Rearwardly of the friction surfaces, the post is cut away at opposite sides to form pockets 22 to accommodate the sides of the correspending spring resistance elements C.

The friction shoes F are of like const-ruction, being two infnumber and disposed on opposite sides of the post. y Each shoe has a l longitudinally disposed V-shaped friction surface 121 on the inner side thereoffadapted to cooperate with the corresponding friction surfaces 21 of t-lie post. Each shoe is also provided with anouter wedge face'y 23.

The front follower casing B is in the-form i of ak rectangular hollow castinghaving `a transverse end wall 24 cooperating with the front stop lugs 11 in the manner of the usual front follower. The casing B is provided with a pair of opposed, interior rearwardly diver-ging wedge faces 1253-123 adapted to .cooperate with the wedge faces 23 of the slices E. l

The twin arranged .main springs are disposed in the compartments at the opposite sides of the post E, yeach element thcreofcomprising a heavy outer coil .and a relatively light inner coil having their opposite ends bearing respectively onthe rear wall 17'of the spring cage and the corresponding spring follower D.

The spring followers D. areof like construction, each being in the form of `a cap having the outer end thereof bearingonthe inner end t and bottom walls ofthe spring `cage A.

of the corresponding friction shoe F and having the .inner coil nf the correspondingspning element seated `therein.

The mechanism is held of overall uniform length andjn assembled relation bythe retainer bolts G. rlilleiretainerbolts Gr` are preferably two in number, being disposed at the top and bottom of the mechanism. ,Each bolt has the outer end thereof anchored to the H' front follower casing B, the corresponding Kportion ofthe front .wall 24 thereof being inwardly-offset, as shown at `v1124, to provide a seatfor-thehead of the bolt. The Vfront end Aofthe postE is correspondingly cut away, as

l shown at 224, for clearance. The` Shanks of the-bolts extend throughlongitudinal lbores at the top and. bottom of the frictionl post and 4the Aheads of the bolts are slidingly accommodated within enlarged portions Aof 'the 1Q `ybores at the rear end ofthe post.

As vclearlyshown infF-igures 1 and 3, the front 'j-follo'wer casing `B telescopica'lly receives the reduced endportions y19 ofthe to `"The normal position of the parts is that shown in Figures l and-3. As shown in ,these figures, the `outer end ofthe post E and the shoulders 20 of the spring cage are spaced respectively from the front vwall 24 .and the ninnerend ofthe front 2follower casingB a distance equal to the permissible `cornpression .stroke ofthe mechanism, the arrangement-being such'that whenrthe mechanism is `fully coinpressed,'the innerend of the front follower casing will abut theshoulders 20 and the inner *face of the wall 24: will abut the front end of the postE, theV post and spring cage `together functioning as a column ele- Vment to transmit the actuating force and thereby prevent Vthe springs from ,being driven solid.

,Inthe operation ofmyimproved mechanism, assuminga buffing movement of the drawharfthe jfront follower .casing will be carriedinwardly, .wedgingthe `frictonshoes againstlthe friction surfaces offt-henpost and carrying the shoes inwardly thereof. Durmg thisactiomthe shoes Vwillbe moved in Wardly more rapidlv'than'the frontfollower front follower casing and spring cage effecti-velyhouees and protects fthe parts the final load on the post and cage is well distributed; and the use of springs of exceptional length and-capacity is permitted.

lVhile I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of .carryingoutimy invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes an d modificationsithat comewvithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: l 1. In a *friction shook absorbing mechanism, the combination withfa -spring cage `having `top and bottomwal-ls; of a central,

longitudinally `disposefl partition dividing the cage Vinto spring compartments, said iper- Y tit-ion `having N -arranged friction surfaces -at the forward l end thereof, the top and bottom walls of saidcage being co1e'zrtensive inlength with `the partition -and being formed-integral with thelattcr to reinforcethe same; a main spring resistance element ineach springco-mpartment 4; friction-.shoes having wedge faces and V-arran ged friction surfacesl co-operating with the frictionsurfaces of ithepartition; and a hollow wedgeelementfhaving interior wedge faces. i

2. In a friction shockwabsorbing `mechanism, the combination with a spring cage having a central, longitudinally disposed partition therein dividing the `cageinto spring compartments, said partition havinga p airof rearwardly diverging, V-,shaped fiati friction surfaces at the Aforward end and concave spring receiving seats rearwardly thereof;

of a main spring resistance element-in each spring compartment, each of ,said spring elements substantially filling said compartment fand fitting the correspondinglseatof the partition; a pair of friction-shoes cgi-operating `with the friction surfaces of the post; Vand wedge-pressure transmitting-means co-operating with the friction-shoes'.

3. In a friction shock absorbing Ymechanism, the combination with a springcage carrying a friction-post having Ayfriction snrfaces ont-he opposite sides thereof,'saidpost 'having top and 'bottom wall sectionsformed integral wit-hthe corresponding walls of the cage; a front-follower casing having interior wedge faces and telescopically receiving the post and top and bottom wall sections :thereof; a pair of frictionwedge-shoes, co-operating withthe friction post, said shoes being disposed within thelateral limits of said wall sections; and main spring resistance elements .opposing inward movement of `theshoes.V

` 4.1m a friction shock absorbing -me'chanism, the combination with a springcage having forwardly extendingtop andfbottom walls and a fric-tion posteo-extensive with said top and ,bottom lwalls and formedintegral therewith, said top and bottom walls extending A laterally beyond said post;I .a front mit follower casing telescopically receiving the top and bottom walls of said cage; friction wedge-shoes co-operating with the friction post; and twin arranged main spring resistance elements within said sprin cage.

5. In a friction shock absoriing 1nechanism, the combination with a spring cage having a central, longitudinally disposed partition dividing the cage into two spring compartments, said partition extending outwardly of the cage, said outwardly extending portion of the partition forming a friction post section having a pair of Varranged, rearwardly diverging friction surfaces at the forward end thereof and curved spring pockets rearwardly of the friction surfaces, said post having top and bottom horizontally disposed lateral reinforcing `flanges formed integral with the top and bottom walls of the cage; of friction-wedge-shoes co-operating with the friction surfaces of the partition; wedge-pressure-transmitting means co-operating with the shoes; and spring resistance elements within the spring compartments of the spring cage.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7 thL day of March, 1925.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

